Who the fuck had missiles?” Kole growled as they made it to the rendezvous point. That had not been in the plan. It saved their asses, but now Kole understood why Denis wanted them out the house fast.

“Let me worry about that.” Denis greeted them as they reached the truck.

Kole helped Mila inside, knowing she was trying not to limp. The explosion rocked them both through the air. He landed hard on the ground, and knew he would be sore in the morning. He jumped in behind her and slammed his door shut, just as Denis swung the truck around and sped off.

The sounds of sirens could be heard off in the distance.

“Is it done?” Corneal asked from the front of the car.

“Of course. Did you have any doubt?” Mila gasped, gaining Kole’s attention. Corneal nodded before turning back to face the front.

“What is it?” he snapped, realizing that something was wrong with her.

“It’s nothing,” she gasped, leaning her forehead against the window.

“Don’t lie to me,” he growled, his heart pounding in his chest. “Mila,” he warned.

“I took a bullet, but it hit the vest. It just hurts like a bitch.”

Kole could feel the vehicle pick up speed at her words. They were going in the opposite direction, away from the police.

“Hospital?” Denis offered.

“No, I’ll be fine,” she muttered.

“She’s right,” he replied, catching Denis’s eyes in the rearview mirror. There was no way that they could take her to a hospital to get checked out. With the recent gun battle and house exploding, it would be too suspicious. The police would be called, and there was no way they could make up a believable story with what had just went down.

“Just drive, I’ll be okay.” She turned her eyes and met his.

“Where to, boss?” Denis asked.

“Take me to my brother,” she mumbled. Curses filled the air in the car at her request.

“Hell no. That’s a four-hour drive.” Kole shook his head. “You’re not going to suffer in this car that long.”

“We have a house in Connecticut. Take me there. Once we get there, I can call our private physician.” She turned to him with big, pleading eyes. He glanced up at Denis, who was waiting on the order.

“Are you sure? That’s a two-hour drive.” He pushed a few strands of her hair that escaped her braids out of her face. She nuzzled her face into his hands and sighed.

“I’m sure I’ll be fine. This isn’t the first time I’ve taken a bullet with a vest on. Just drive.” She rattled off the address for Denis.

Kole didn’t like the idea of her suffering in pain, but a two-hour ride would be much better than four, and she could at least get medical attention. He nodded his head to Denis. He pulled her to him and settled her underneath his arm.

* * *

“She’ll be fine. Sore, but fine. The skin didn’t break. Thankfully, she wore the vest and it protected her, but she will have a nasty bruise soon. I left her some stronger pain pills for her to take,” the doctor said as she stepped from the room and shut the door behind her.

While the doctor had been in the room with Mila, he had taken advantage and showered before throwing on fresh clothing. Jethro had come and took his tactical gear to store it in the truck. He had decided to wait in the hallway to ensure the physician was finished with Mila.

“Thank you, Dr. Wilson,” Kole said as he pushed off the hallway wall. He offered his hand and the doctor took it in a strong grip. Dr. Wilson was a woman in her early sixties, and from what Mila had told him, had worked for her family since she graduated from medical school. She was a well-trusted friend of Mila’s father and she wouldn’t have dared called anyone else.

“She’s comfortable and resting right now. Don’t worry about seeing me out, I know my way,” the doctor chuckled as she walked toward the stairway. “Been here plenty of times.”

Kole glanced at the doorway. His heart was in that room, but for some reason, his feet wouldn’t move. This was a close call, but he knew that this wouldn’t not be the last one. A life of crime wasn’t an easy one, but he knew he wanted to make their relationship work. There was no way he would leave her. He’d be damned if another man would try to take his place. He wouldn’t hesitate to kill the next man who looked at her in a sexual way.

So why was he hesitating going into the room?

“Kole,” Mila’s soft voice called to him from the other side of the door.

Finally, his brain was able to send a message to his feet to carry him inside. He pushed the door open and entered to find her resting against large, plump pillows. The physician must have helped her get cleaned up. She was no longer in the tactical dark clothing, but a soft nightgown.

“Hey, how are you feeling?” he asked, standing by the bed. She tapped the bed next to her, motioning for him to sit down. He gently settled onto the bed, not wanting to cause too much commotion.

“I’m a little loopy from the pain medication,” she admitted with a silly grin on her face.

He chuckled at her. A little was an understatement.

“I see.” He couldn’t resist touching her and pushed her hair from her face, tucking it behind her ear. “But I think you’re telling a little lie.”

“Who, me? I can handle pain medication. If I needed to, I could march right out this room and kick some ass,” she drawled.

“You don’t have to prove anything,” he chuckled, but soon his joking disappeared. Her getting shot was a close one. Thankfully, they had all worn vests, knowing that this was going to be a dangerous mission. Everyone had bruises, but she was the only one shot. His men were good, and only the Slokavich men were killed.

“Remind me that I need to thank Denis again,” she murmured, snuggling down into her blankets.

“For what?” he asked, stroking her head.

“Before you came in the room, Vlad said there were cameras all throughout the house. With him blowing it up, the video of me should be erased.”

His hand paused in mid-air at her words. He had been pissed at Denis for breaking out that type of artillery because he definitely drew attention of the local law enforcement agencies.

It had been plastered all over the news that morning. Of course, the police weren’t letting it out that one of the most infamous crime family bosses was killed in a battle between mafias, ending with his home being blown to Timbuktu. They instead, spun the story as a gas leak had exploded, killing the local resident who happened to be home, and there were no survivors.

But Kole knew that every mafia boss, captain, and down to the lowly soldiers, would know what happened that night. But if what Vlad told Mila was true, thanks to Denis, there would be no record of her being there. No one to try to extract revenge on her or her family.

“Get some rest, Mila,” he murmured, pressing his lips to her forehead. “I’m sure your brother will be calling soon.”

“He’ll be okay. Because of me, he’ll now be the true king of New York.”

Kole bit back a retort at her show of loyalty toward her brother. He never wanted her to have to choose between him and her family. So he bit his tongue and laid another kiss on her forehead. He let out a deep sigh as he took in her words.

She was right.

With the patriarch member of the Tokhan’s biggest rival out of the way, Pasha would be able to wipe out the rest of their organization. They would be in a state of panic and disarray. What better time to eliminate one’s enemy?

When they’re stuck on the shitter with their pants around their ankles.